Construct of Self-Esteem, Defined by Trait Theorists

Researchers of human personality have been able to identify five major trait dimensions, known as the “Big Five,” (Hood & Johnson, 2007). These “Big Five” are considered the “basic trait factors that are supposed to capture the gamut of meanings of personality characteristics,” (De Radd, 113). These five personality factors are: Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness. During the same time, much research has been conducted on the causes, effects, and adaptability of self-esteem, but rarely have the two measures been compared.

In an effort to compare the two measures, Robins, Tracy, Trzesniewski, Potter, and Gosling, (2001) purport that “self-esteem and personality are likely to share common developmental roots, and examining the personality correlates of self-esteem across the life span might provide insights into the nature of self-esteem and its development,” (p. 464). Additionally, it is believed that personality and self-esteem may have a direct impact on each other, whereas one’s personality may directly influence how they perceive themselves or conversely one’s belief about themselves may influence how they behave. Given these possible correlations, one could find that a person who struggles with low self-esteem “might lack the self-confidence to engage in a wide range of social behaviors and, consequently, become more introverted,” (p. 465) while those with high self-esteem “tend to be Extraverted, Agreeable, Conscientious, Emotionally Stable, and Open to Experience,” (p. 476).

In assessing the possible correlation between personality and self-esteem, the use of the five-factor model can be helpful. Individuals who struggle with low self-esteem often report feeling worried, insecure, inadequate, characteristics that would result in high scores of Neuroticism. Additionally, these clients will often engage in task-oriented behaviors (low scorer of extraversion), which are organized, scrupulous, and neat (high scorer of conscientiousness) all in an effort to prove their worthiness and receive praise from others for a job well done. Clients with low self-esteem rarely do things for themselves, but are constantly acting for the benefit of others, often going above and beyond the call of duty.

Clients who demonstrate these behaviors are often aware of their lack of self-esteem. They actively engage in people pleasing behaviors in an effort to satisfy their own need for love, worth, and attention. Personality theorists would suggest that the client first recognize these behaviors which are enacted solely for the purpose of proving one’s self worth and then begin to assist the client in altering these maladaptive behaviors into one’s that were more self-serving in nature. The goal in this type of treatment would be to alter the client’s behaviors thus gaining more healthy personality traits, which would eventually result in a higher perception of self-worth.

Stephanie Lowrance-Henckel

References

De Raad, B. (1998). Five big, big five issues: Rationale, content, structure, status, and cross-cultural assessment. European Psychologist, 3(2), 113-124
Hood, A. B., & Johnson, R. W. (2007). Assessment in counseling: A guide to the use of psychological assessment procedures (4th ed.). Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.
Pervin, L., Cervone, D., & Oliver, J. (2005). Theories of Personality (9th ed.).New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, IncRobins, R.W., Tracy, J.L., Trzesniewski, K., Potter, J. & Gosling, S.D. (2001). Personality correlates of self-esteem. Journal of Research in Personality, 35, 463-482.